Velvet-mantled Drongo © oiseaux.net

Sometimes treated as conspecific with Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), but recent DNA analysis supports recognition of two distinct species; both were previously thought to be part of a superspecies with Comoro Drongo (Dicrurus fuscipennis), Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus), Mayotte Drongo (Dicrurus waldenii), Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) and Aldabra Drongo (Dicrurus aldabranus), but morphological and genetic differentiation too great to support such a relationship. Additional studies needed to clarify taxonomic position of subspecies coracinus and atactus, which intergrade fully in south-western Nigeria (Ondo and Benin provinces) and Cameroon; coracinus and subspecies divaricatus of Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) behave more or less as distinct species, differing in behaviour, voice and plumage, with limited hybridization in areas of range overlap (apparent hybrids reported in Nigeria, DRCongo and Angola); atactus initially described as a possible hybrid between those two taxa.

Proposed subspecies ugandensis regarded as a synonym of coracinus.

Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis).

The following 3 subspecies are recognised:

• atactus Hartlaub, 1849   -  Sierra Leone, southern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, south-western Ghana (southern from Kintampo and Tafo), southern Togo, southern Benin and south-western Nigeria; possibly western Cameroon, possibly also northern Angola, possibly also eastern DRCongo.
• coracinus Verreaux, J & Verreaux, E, 1851   -  Southern Nigeria, Bioko I (Fernando Póo), southern Cameroon and south-western Central African Republic (Lobaye) east to extreme south-western Sudan (Bengegai), western and southern Uganda and western Kenya (Kakamega), south to Gabon, PRCongo, north-western Angola and central DRCongo (south to Kasai and Maniema).
• modestus Hartlaub, 1849   -  Prí­ncipe I, in Gulf of Guinea.

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BirdLife International For more information about the Velvet-mantled Drongo see... BirdLife International Species Factsheet. Articles about the Velvet-mantled Drongo If you would like to read any articles about the Velvet-mantled Drongo... Show Articles (0) No Pictures of Velvet-mantled Drongo If Birdpedia has no pictures of Velvet-mantled Drongo or you would like to see more, then try the following...       From BING (2) No Videos of Velvet-mantled Drongo If Birdpedia has no videos of Velvet-mantled Drongo or you would like to see more, then try the following..       From BING (0) Where can I observe this species? Select an area (or leave blank) to see locations where this species has been recorded. Area   CONGO   All    Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or   Find GPS using Google Maps Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings On What Field Trips was this species observed? Select an area (or leave blank), and a date range, to see field trips on which this species has been recorded. Area   CONGO   All    From To     Optional: Complete the following if you wish to restrict the reserve to within a given distance of a location. Please enter the Latitude and Longitiude of a given location together with the maximum distance (km) to display a list of reserves within that distance. You must enter a Latitude, a Longitude and a distance greater than 0.   Latitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          N S or   GPS help Longitude: (Decimal degrees takes precedence) Deg Min Sec     Decimal degrees (Include compass setting or value)          E W or Distance Bearing     N NE E SE S SW W NW Get Sample GPS readings Latest Sightings for Velvet-mantled Drongo Select the Area to restrict the Sightings. Area   CONGO   All